As the start of the 3200 mile coast to coast run across the USA draws nearer, time seems to be moving very quickly indeed. I still have a few tasks to complete before setting off from Newcastle to New York on Sunday.
The first task is to pack my running kit, running shoes, cherry active, leaflets etc into two small suitcases. To do that effectively is beyond me so Donna will be making sure that's done properly. New followers may be wondering what Cherry Active is. It's the recovery product that I've been using since 2011. I simply drink 30ml of it diluted in water at the end of each day's running. It helps to minimise the aches and pains.
The big challenge is to try and fit 8 pairs of Hylo Impact size 11.5 running shoes into my luggage! Thankfully, they are very light but there's no getting away from the fact those size shoes take up a lot of space.
I'm pleased to report that the support team plan is very well established. Everyone one knows where they need to be and when. The team is the joint smallest I’ve ever had on any tour, equalling the number needed for the run across Australia. The run across the USA is 800 miles longer however so pound for pound this is the most compact unit of support I’ve ever had.
The small size of the team comes with its disadvantages in terms of the work the guys will have to get through and there is the safety aspect too. Driving a motorhome solo can be quite difficult. John and Alan have a significant amount of time on their own (35 days). I’ll be plugging the gap there to some extent and I’ll be 90% runner and 10% support person myself. It’ll well and truly be a team game where we will rely on each other for support. The same can be said right across the route, I guess, even where the team is at full capacity.
I think the advantages of having a small team are hugely beneficial. My prediction is that the bonds that will form within the team and subsequent levels of trust will stand us all in very good stead. For all of the team’s experience and wealth of travel over the years, the biggest asset lies elsewhere in my opinion. The camaraderie and good humour that has been shown so far is right up my street. Yes, there is a very challenging mission to complete but the signs are that we are going to have fun while doing it. That’s not to say that there won’t be tough, dark times. There absolutely will be.
The attitude of this group combined with my experience of working with such volunteers gives us a huge chance of success. I don’t see a weak link at all in the team (unless Carlton puts some cheesy popcorn in the RV’s microwave for too long as he did in Australia).
As the run draws nearer, then so will the activity on this blog and all across the Run Geordie Run social media channels. Please make sure to check back often to keep updated.
Finally, a huge thank you to those kind people who have sponsored me in aid of St. Benedict's Hospice over at www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025. The charity fund is almost at £11,000. Just like the run across the USA, there is a long way to go in terms of fundraising. The hospice need our help now, more than ever. It's an incredibly tough time for the hospice movement, as has been reported in the news lately. We simply must do everything that we can to help make the lives of people with terminal illnesses comfortable and dignified. I shudder to think how my Mam's final years would have played out had it not been for the brilliant care she received at St. Benedict's Hospice.
